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As we are winding down for the Christmas holidays I am still trying to find time to catch you up on all our walking fun from the last few months. Hopefully next year I will have the internet up and running again in my home and be able to get back on track with making these blog entries a more regular and consistent event!

It will seem a little odd looking at fairer weather photos now considering how awful the weather has been here in Edinburgh the last few months. Winter has hit us hard, cold and wet weather pelting us at every turn making our walks a soggy affair. Perhaps a little reminiscence therapy of milder days gone by is exactly what we need right now! Though if I am honest I absolutely love Christmas time! I am a huge geeky Christmas fan at heart! I wish I could fill this blog posts with snowing dog photos haha. Sadly we have only had rain and sleet here, no snow as of yet. I live in hope we have some snowy days in the not too distant future.

To start us off, a beloved handsome face. No one ever believes that this stunning boy could be a rescue. Truth be told, Winston much like my own Molly-dog, stands as a testament as to how amazing rescue dogs are. You should never make snap judgments about why a dog has ended up needing a new home. Rescue dogs can carry a stigma that something is ‘wrong’ with them or that they are a ‘bad’ dog and is quite simply the biggest pile of dog poop! Take from someone who has worked in rescue centers both here in the UK and abroad, the vast vast majority of dogs given up for re-homing has nothing to do with them as individuals at all! It does however have everything to do with the people who hand them over. Some have genuine heart braking reasons for why they can no longer care for their pet. But all too many just lose interest, can no longer be bothered with the effort involved or did not seriously consider the costs behind owning an animal. Many many rescues like my Molly or Winston here are quite simply just a bit behind on their training due to previous owners not putting in the time required, that’s all! With training, patience, understanding and a great deal of love and affection you have quite simply the most amazing loving loyal companion! Who after having a rough start with ahem, ‘dodgy’ humans, thinks you fart rainbows.

Rescue dog are without a doubt the most fantastic dogs, I can’t stress this enough. Perhaps as it is the Christmas season I feel the need to talk about the amazingness of rescue dogs even more. I really hope that with this following story as an example you will understand more fully as to how many dogs end up in shelters especially around this time of year, and how they are truly just innocent victims of circumstance. This weekend a man tried to buy Gus my French Bulldog in a pub because his daughter, ‘…wanted one of them for Christmas…’ like he was some sort of fashionable toy. It was a horrific experience especially as the man proceeded to become angry and insulting when my partner refused asking him in return which of his family members he would like to sell for a Christmas present! He even waved cash in my partners face and seemed totally perplexed as to why we wouldn’t jump at the chance to sell our beloved Gus for cold hard cash. As if ANY amount of money would make us part with our heart and soul. When I volunteered for the SSPCA Boxing Day would greet us with dogs and puppies being abandoned in droves, the result of children and adults already bored or overwhelmed having not thought carefully enough about the care or attention a dog would actually require. Some poor souls were even tied to the gate waiting for us before we had even opened the center. I have no doubts that an individual who thinks it is acceptable to try and rudely haggle a dog from clearly horrified owners in a pub, just because his teenage daughter fancies the look of one for Christmas, would also not hesitate to dump said dog again as soon as the novelty wears off. Safe to say, as I clutched Gus closer to my chest, we were not very polite in letting the man in question know that Gus would never EVER be for sale! But with so many puppies being punted on gumtree as ideal presents for the big day, I can’t help but think what ever pooch that man does get his hands on for Christmas will not be long destined for the local shelter. So my last parting word on this matter would be that if you are seriously considering introducing a dog into your family, please please take your time, do your research THOROUGHLY, and don’t shop, please adopt. There will no doubt be many more confused and frightened unwanted Christmas pups waiting for new loving homes as soon as the day is over.

Just a little reminiscing about the beautiful summer forest foliage. Sigh…

Ready for home! Biscuits first please, of course!This summer I took a few lovely beach trips. I was joined by Stephanie Parker who owns and operates Pawfect Therapies here in Edinburgh. If you haven’t already checked out Stephanie’s site I highly recommend you take a gander! She also offers walking with the city center and I couldn’t recommend her highly enough! (http://www.pawfecttherapies.co.uk/)

It has been a little while since my last post, we have started building up some footage of our walks again for another little Four Seasons Movie! So watch this space! I was inspired to make another one after watching the amazing youtube clip below. I have to admit pretty openly that this video is amazing and I’m WELL jealous!!! I think that its a better music video for Pharrell’s song ‘Happy’ than the official one! Plus that cat must literally be the coolest cat that ever lived, surfing and swimming like a dog…oh yeah!

We are enjoying the springtime sunshine when we can get it!

Mister Ruben was sporting a sore shoulder last night. Even though he was fine this morning and bouncing around like his typical Boxer-pup self we though it best to have a leash walk today…colour Ruben none too impressed!! Its just to be on the safe side puppy honest! Back to normal tomorrow!

Lush green woods…

Everything is so beautiful this time of year!! What you can’t see in these photos is the sheer number of bugs though My legs (and weirdly my ahem….bum) are COVERED in bites…..ARG!!! SO ITCHY!!

Maud and Colin make a bee-line for the muddiest puddle! Part dog, part hippo…

Proud as punch with herself now!

Molly whizzing past, I’m surprised I managed to take a photo of her at all 😉

A quick catch up for the end of the week. It has been a busy one and boy are we tired! I have a very sleepy household here at the moment!

Hugo is a BIG fan of Winter swimming…hard core!

The lovely L.V. is not as ‘ahem’, brave shall we say, as Hugo and keeping her feet firmly on the banks!

Smudge is rockin the poofy look 😀

It’s acts just like velcro for the undergrowth hahaha!

Ella stalking her boyfriend Smudge…

I have been meaning to take a photo of Archie and Hugo together for a while. They are sadly not on the same walks though they do get to spend a little time together every now and then on car rides. How cute they are together. Go tream Cocker Spaniel!

This will be a rather mega photo-fest! I have quite a bit to catch up on as I didn’t have a chance to post last Friday due to John and I driving out to our friends wedding, which was beautiful! Here is the last three/four days worth of doggie antics, enjoy!!

Olly chasing his pals through the wintery woodland….Winter officially arrived on Thursday when we woke up to minus 3 temperatures!

Ella has found her ideal stick!

Maud and Kobi chasing Archie!

A beautiful winter morning at Cammo Estate…

Winter sun…

Lalala, sniff, sniff, sniff….

Happy Gena face…

Winston and Maud, evenly matched!

Lenny staying cozy in his snazzy Equafleece….

Run Winston, she’s gaining on you!

Gus is not a fan of the Winter weather….

Molly and Smudge were instant friends!

Epic frisbee battle!! Even Gus was in on the game!

Molly trying her hardest to stay still for a photo!! It’s so hard when you are a wriggly pup!!